Horizontal tank and support therefor



May 8, 1945.

W. A. SANDBERGI Original Filed Jan.

HORIZONTAL TANK AND SUPPORT THEREFOR s Sheets-Shea. 1

FIG. I

'WILLIAM A. SANDBER'G IN VE N TOR y 1945- w. A. SANDBERG 2,375,442

HORIZONTAL TANK AND SUPPORT THEREFOR Original Filed Jan. 12; 1942 3Sheets-Sheet 2 lllllIlIl/IIIIII 11 I I 1 1 1r! 1 11 I III FIG. 9 V/WILLIAM A. SAN DBERG E/V'TOP QMCU. .MM

y 8, 1945- w. A. SANDBERG 2,375,442

HORIZONTAL TANK AND SUPPORT THEREFOR Original Filed Jan. 12, 1942 3Sheets-Sheet 5 WILLIAM A. SANDBERG NVE/VTOR ZMOJ, "m.

Patented'May 8, 1945 HORIZONTAL TANK AND surroa'r 'rnnanroa William A.Sandberg, Los Angeles, Calif., as-

signor to Lacy Manufacturing Company, Los Angeles, Calif., a corporationof California Application November 8, 1943, Serial No. 509,517

10 Claims.

The instant invention is a modification of and in some respects animprovement over the structure described in my copending applicationSerial No. 426,393, filed January 12, 1942, and since matured intoPatent No. 2,359,683 on October 3, 1944, and is a continuation in partof that application as to common subject matter.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide for the support of apressure storage tank of great dimensionsin such manner as to distributethe weight of the tank and its contents over supports arranged in two ormore lateral planes; to permit free longitudinal expansion andcontraction of the tank shell, and to avoid any possibility of theapplication of a bending moment either to the supports or to a localizedportion of the tank shell.

In the copending application .the tank is suspended at the center of itslength on a pair of supports which must be rigid longitudinally but maybe more or less resilient laterally. The ends of the tank project freelybeyond the plane of support, to equal distances, and by reason of theircylindrical form are equivalent to cantilever trusses. Lateral andtilting movements are prevented by an anchor connecting the bottom ofthe tank with'a foundation block at a point substantially aligned withthe axis of the tank and with the supporting columns.

Tanks of great size, up to 20,000 barrels capacity and 4,000 tons liveload, have been constructed in this manner, but there is a limit beyondwhich a free end cannot economically be projected beyond the plane ofsupport. The present invention is directed to a modification whichpermits the construction of tanks of any desired relation of length todiameter, while retaining all .the advantages of the original structure,by suspending them in two or even more.

lateral planes.

The invention may best be understood with reference to the attacheddrawings and the following description thereof, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the tank in place on its supports;

Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section through the tank, indicatingthe longitudinal position of the anchors;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the foundation indicating the positions of theanchors and the base plates of the supporting columns;

Fig. 4 is a cross section through the tank as on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Figs. 5 and dare details on an enlarged scale of one of the supportingcolumns;

Figs. 7 and 8 are vertical sections through the two anchors 26A and 263,as on the lines l'! and 88 of Fig. 3;

Figs. 9 and 10 are plan views of the two anchors; and

Fig. 11 is a detail of a modified form of supporting column which may,in some locations, be substituted for the form shown in Figs. 5 and 6.

Referring to the drawings, which illustrate the invention as applied toa tank supported in two planes, a horizontal cylindrical tank I0 havinghemispherical or otherwise curved heads is provided internally with twogirder rings HA and B. These rings are so spaced that the volumetricspaces between the plane of each ring and the adjacent head are equaland that the sum of these spaces is approximately equal to thevolumetric space between these two planes. So located, each half of thetank is approximately in balance on its own supports and any bendingstress on the shell as a whole, which would follow from unbalanced load,is minimized.

The girder rings should be of such strength and stiffness as to carrythe weight of the tank and its contents, at spaced points, withnegligible deformation. Preferably the girder is so formed that itsouter flange forms part of the shell of the tank. A drainage opening 29should be formed atthe bottom of the web (Fig. 4).

Externally the tank is provided with four brackets l2-l2 centered in theplanes of the girder webs and located somewhat below the vertical centerline of the tank. These brackets may be of any preferred form but areillustrated (Figs. 5 and 6) as consisting of one or more webs l3 and abase plate I4, both strongly secured to the outer face of the girder andto each other, as at 15. From the base plate a plurality of lugs 16 areprojected downwardly and are drilled to a loose fit over abearing pinIT.

The leg of the supporting column may be a suitable length of I-beam orother structural shape, but is preferably of heavy walled steel pipe asshown at l8, having cap plates l9 and 20 welded to its ends. From theupper cap plate a plurality of lugs 2| are projected upwardly to meshloosely with the downwardly projected lugs l6 and are also drilled toreceive pin ll. When assembled, these meshing lugs and the pinconstitute a hinge joint on which the leg 18 may swivel the long way ofthe tank. Close fitting is not necessary as the hinge may have a slightdegree of lateral play to compensate circumthe girder rings on thefoundations in an erect position and attaching plates to the ends of therings until the halves meet and can be joined. In this process, platesare addedto the two ends of each ring in such manner as to maintain themapproximately in balance at, all times and avoid any excessive tendencyto overturn. The rings may conveniently be mounted on temporary rollersto permit revolution for downhand welding.

these elements being at least partiallyvburied in the foundation, theother rigidly afilxed to' the tank bottom. As illustrated in Figs. 7 and8 the inner element is fixed in the foundation and projects above it toform a plug while the outer element 26 is welded to the tank bottom atits lower center line and substantially in the line E--E intersectingthe base plates 23 (Fig. 3) This arrangement may be inverted ifpreferred. As indicated in Figs. 3, '7 and 8, one of these tubes (26A)is elongated and has straight sides contacting the perimeter of thecorresponding plug, while the other tube (263) is circular and is afairly close fit over its plug.

As will be evident, both of these plugs, with their mating tubes, act toprevent any lateral movement of the tank, such as might result from windpressure or earthquake shock, the columns is being in compression" onlyand receiving no lateral stress. Any tendency toward bodily longitudinalmovement of the tank is resisted only by the plug and tube 263, theelongation of tube 26A permitting free expansion and contraction of theshell with temperature changes, the supporting columns at the free endof the tank swivelling through small arcs on pins H. i

As there is no possibility of appreciable longitudinal movement of thefixed end of the tankthe end carrying the circular tube 26Bit ispermissible to omit the hinged joints at this end and to substitute thesubstantially rigid simple column illustrated in Fig. 11. Thissubstitution is not permissible at the end of the tank carrying theelongated tube 26A, as a limited freedom of movement at this end must beprovided for. It is, however, entirely in order to modify the structureof the hinge joint in any desired manner, as by the substitution of aknife edge, ball or roller between the plates.

' The impact produced by a sharp longitudinal shock may tend to overturnthe projecting ring 263 and thus to deform the girder ring from which itis projected. I therefore prefer to reinforce the girder, on the centerline of the anchor ring, by longitudinal brackets 21 (Fig. 8) welded tothe web and flanges of the girder. These plates may be toed againstsections 28 of I-beam secured to the inside of the tank.

While the invention is described as supporting the tank in two planes,it would be possiblelto support it in three or more, using a singleanchor to restrain longitudinal movement and permitting such movement onthe remainder. Such divided support would be feasible only when thesupporting ground is of such firmness as to avoid any risk of thedeparture of any one of the foundation blocks from its original level,as such change might impose a destructive bending stress on the shell asa unit. Stresses of this kind are impossible in the supportof the tankin two planes, as herein described, or in a single plane, as in thecopending application.

Tanks of this type are constructed by placing A full description of apreferred manner of erection may be found in the disclosure of thecopending application.

I claim as myjinvention:

1. In combination: a horizontal cylindrical tank; circumferentiallyrigid girders longitudinally spaced within said tank; a foundation blockbeneath each said girder; a pair of oppositely disposed brackets mounted{on the exterior of said tank in the Plane of eachsaid girder; columnseach transmitting part ofthe weight of said tank to said foundation, thecolumns of at least one pair being providedat their ends with swivellingjoints permitting" said columns to swivel longitudinally onsaidbra'ckets and on said foundation; an anchor consisting of atelescoping plug and ring arranged between the bottom of said tank andsaid foundation block to prevent any material horizontal motion of oneend of said tank as regards said foundation, and an anchor consisting ofa plug telescoping. in a longitudinally elongated ring arranged betweenthe bottom of said tank and said foundation block to prevent lateralmotion and permit longitudinal motion of the opposite end of said tank.

2. Structure substantially as defined in claim 1, in which said anchorsare located substantially between oppositelydisposed columns.

3. Structure substantially as defined in claim 1, in whichsaid girdersare so spaced that the volumetric spaces between the plane of eachgirder and the adjacent end of said tank are substantially equal andthesum of such spaces is approximately equal to the volumetric spacebetween said planes'. l

4. Means for supporting a horizontally disposed tank, comprising: afoundation; a pair of vertical columns resting on said foundation andsupporting one end of said tank at opposite points on its circumference;an anchor arranged to prevent any material horizontal movement of theend'of said tank supported by said columns; a second pair of columnssupporting thel-epposite end of said tank, the columns of .saidfs'econdpair bein capable of movement; in a plane parallel to the longitudinalaxisof {said 'tank, and an anchor located between the columns .of saidsecond pair and arranged to prevent lateral movement and to permitlongitudinal movement of said opposite end of said tank.

5. Structure substantially as defined in claim 4, in which the columnscapable of longitudinal movement are provided with swivelling jointsadjacent their upper and their lower ends.

6. In a. support for a horizontally .disposed tank: two pairs ofoppositely disposed columns supporting opposite ends of said tank, atleast one of said pairs being-hinged top and bottom to swivel in planesparallel to the longitudinal axis of said tank; an anchor arranged torestrain one end of said tank against any material horizontal movement,and means arranged to permit the other end of said tank to travelhorizontally in.

only a longitudinal direction.

7. In a support for a horizontally disposed tank: a pair ofverticalcolumns supporting one end of said tank and means for preventinghorizontal movement of said end in any direction; a pair of columnssupporting the opposite end of said tank, last said columns being hingedtop and bottom to swivel in planes parallel to the longitudinal axis ofsaid tank, and means for restricting horizontal movement of saidopposite end to a longitudinal direction.

8. In a support for a horizontally disposed tank: means for supportingone end of said tank and for substantially preventing horizontalmovement thereof; a pair of columns supporting the opposite end of saidtank, said columns being hinged top and bottom to swivel in planesparallel to the longitudinal axis of said tank, and mea s forrestricting horizontal movement of said opposite end to a longitudinaldirection.

9. Means for supporting a horizontally disposed tank, comprising: afoundation; two pairs of vertical columns resting on said foundation andsupporting the ends of said tank, the columns of each pair beingoppositely disposed on the circumference of said tank and all of saidcolumns being capable of movement in a plane parallel to thelongitudinal axis of said tank, and an anchor located between thecolumns of each said pair arranged to prevent lateral movement and topermit limited longitudinal movement of said tank as regards saidfoundation.

10. Means for supporting a horizontally disposed tank, comprising: afoundation; a pair of vertical columns resting on said foundation andsupporting one end of said tank at opposite points on its circumference,said columns being rigidly fixed in said foundation to prevent anymaterial horizontal movement of the end of said tank supported by saidcolumns; a second pair of columns supporting the opposite end of saidtank, the columns of said second pair being capable of movement in aplane parallel to the longitudinal axis of said tank, and an anchorlocated between the columns of said second pair and arranged to preventlateral movement and to permit longitudinalmovement of said opposite endof said tank.

WILLIAM A. SANDBERG.

